The Communications Commission has issued a record of administrative offence against Mtavari TVfor airing political advertising in violation of the legislation. The Audiovisual Media Service Regulation Department of the Commission established that the broadcaster placed two advertising clips in violation of the Election Code during the election period. The first clip called on Mikheil Saakashvili to be released from prison, while the second clip called on the viewers to attend the protest on 14 October. 

The law defines pre-election political advertising as advertising placed in mass media whose content aims to help / hinder the election campaign of an electoral subject, as well as advertising that shows the electoral subject or the sequence number assigned to them during elections and contains elements of an election campaign. The Commission examined both video clips and ruled that they both contained elements of an election campaign and belonged to the category of pre-election political advertising. However, both clips were placed in violation of the Election Code. 

The law also states that any pre-election political advertising must display the name of the electoral subject and the sequence number assigned to them during elections. This provision was violated in both clips aired by Mtavari TV. Specifically, the broadcaster violated Article 186.19 of the Election Code by placing an advert without presenting the electoral subject. 

Furthermore, according to Article 186.20 of the Election Code, broadcasters are prohibited from allocating more airtime than the corresponding fee paid for the placement of paid advertising to the relevant electoral subject or allocating more time than that provided for by the Election Code for the placement of free advertising. Placement of pre-election advertising in support (or against) an electoral subject on the broadcaster’s own initiative violates the provisions of Article 186.20. Mtavari TV violated these provisions by broadcasting the aforementioned two political adverts.